Bloodsteel
by Kera Larentia
Summary: The story of two unlikely friends on the road of adventure. Please Review
1. Chapter 1: Indignity

"I hate you."

A pair of bloodshot, yellow eyes narrowed. The glare meant for the elf tending to his wound was directed toward a tall tree where a giant halberd leaned. The deadly edge gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. It was fortunate that the weapon was so far away, otherwise he would've used it on his companion. Instead, he imagined cleaving the elf in half with the weapon while he lay on his stomach in the small, natural clearing in the thick forest.

The moon elf tending to the ugly wound rolled his hazel eyes skyward and blew a stray strand of raven black hair from his face. The rest of those dark locks were tied back in a short tail at the nape of his neck. This was not the first time he had heard those same words uttered by his brutish friend, and it wouldn't be the last. It was all posturing and bluster to hide the embarrassment of being wounded in such an undignified place.

"I mean it, Vallyn," the injured orc growled. "I'm going to kill you this time."

"The same threat every time, yet here I am, alive and well," came the melodic reply from Vallyn Bloodsteel, the moon elf. "Learn to dodge more quickly."

"I thought you had my back."

"Give that flapping mouth of yours a rest and hold still, Kraggs Bloodsteel, or I will leave you alone to deal with this wound," Vallyn snapped, finally tired of the orc's moaning.

"I trusted you, and then I got shot in the arse!" Kraggs slammed his fist onto the ground and hissed as the jolt shifted the arrow protruding from his left cheek.

"Better that they could've shot you in the throat so I wouldn't have to listen to you whine," Vallyn retorted, sharply. He gripped the arrow shaft tightly and held it steady. "You have no more reason to complain about this injury than I do. You might be the one slow enough to get shot, but I am the one who must tend to the wound."

The guttural growl that followed the elf's statement turned sharply into a howl of pain that echoed through the forest and sent the birds in the nearby trees to the sky in fright. Kraggs clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as the throb of pain arched up his spine from his buttock.

Vallyn tossed the arrow over his shoulder. He reached into the backpack at his side and rummaged around for a moment. When he withdrew his hands, he held a small tub of ointment for healing wounds and a roll of linen. The elf was well stocked with concoctions of healing and bandages for, in their line of work, injuries were inevitable.

"Stop moving about, you big baby, the worst is over."

"Let me pull an arrow from your bum and see how still you stay."

"I was not a fool enough to remain in one spot while they fired at us. How many times must I tell you to make sure your ugly backside is covered when we retreat?"

Kraggs propped his chin in one hand and drew circles in the dirt with the other. His lower lip protruded a little more in his pouting, and his yellow eyes narrowed.

"I had my hands full," he muttered.

"As did I, my friend," Vallyn replied. He paused as he lifted the water skin to clean the wound. "That was not one of our most...graceful...retreats, and they will come after us when the fires are put out. I would rather like to finish this repulsive business and take the children back to their parents before they have time to find our trail."

The children, who had been kidnapped and held for ransom by a large band of highwaymen, in question giggled as their elven rescuer tended to the ugly injury. There were silenced quickly as the injured orc glared at them. The boy, just a year shy of ten, wrapped his arms protectively around the two little girls huddled on either side of him.

Kraggs sighed in resignation, which turned into a hiss as Vallyn tipped the cold water over the wound. His body clenched of its own accord and the orc took a deep breath to try to relax.

"Remind me why we took this job?" the orc growled.

"Because those simple farmers needed help, and we are available," Vallyn answered. Though calm, his voice was tinged with annoyance. "I think you would be glad to have enough coin to buy food to fill your girth. Stop glaring, Kraggs, you're scaring them."

Kraggs snorted and grumbled, "They think me amusing."

"If you were witness to this as they are, then surely you would be amused as well."

After a moment of silence, Kraggs sighed as the soothing healing slave was applied liberally to his wounded backside. The relief triggered a reaction in his muscles and he relaxed visibly. Then, Kraggs eyes popped wide before narrowing, his face scrunching up.

"Uh-oh."

That was all the warning the poor moon elf had, but it was enough. As soon as Kraggs spoke, Vallyn leapt away and saved himself from the toxic fumes that erupted near where he had been.

"Aaaah," Kraggs sighed with relief.

* * *

Yes, I went there...

Anyway, I figured I'd take another shot at posting another story since "Dark Twilight" did well. Let me know what you think.

-K


	2. Chapter 2: Poolside Reprieve

As the night gave way to dawn, a cautious doe stepped quietly toward a small pool of water fed by the lazy river only a few feet away for a drink. She had only dipped her tongue for a second before a sound had her head snapping up and her ears forward. The snap of a twig sent the doe fleeing, bounding away through the trees with her tail up in alarm. If the doe had stayed, a curious sight would have greeted her a moment later.

A tall orc pushed through the brush surrounding the eastern banks of the pool, sputtering and spitting at the tall foliage. When he finally managed to stomp down the grass, he calmed a little and brushed a few twigs and leaves from the seams in his plate armor. He adjusted the halberd strapped across his back, the handle coming up behind his right shoulder. A long tail of black hair sprouted from the end of the weapon and brushed the orc's shoulder.

Kraggs Bloodsteel looked around for a moment, running his tongue over his mismatched tusks. The one on the right was grown, perfectly beautiful and long, while the other, on the left side of his mouth, was less than half the length of the first. He had lost the tusk at a very young age in a fight.

"Did you find it? Is it where I told you it would be?" A melodious voice called from somewhere in the trees behind the orc. Kraggs ran a hand over the tight braid of black hair on his head. He would never hear the end of this.

"Well?" the voice called again.

"It's here," Kraggs growled back over his shoulder.

A moment later, three children, a boy and two little girls, emerged from the trees, following the trail of trampled brush the orc had made. The looked around nervously, on edge from their ordeal at the hands of kidnappers and the long night of running. The boy with sandy hair and bright blue eyes gripped the hands of the younger girls. The curly haired blond girl on his right nearly stumbled from exhaustion while the red-headed girl on his left glanced around, ready to flee like the doe that had occupied the area just a moment earlier. All three had dark circles under their eyes from lack of sleep.

Behind the three children emerged a moon elf. A cheerful smile graced Vallyn's handsome and angular face, and he seemed to be relaxed, though his every sense was attuned to their surroundings and his muscles were ready to spring into action, drawing the pair of shortswords at his hips, at the snap of a twig. Glittering hazel eyes quickly scanned the area, taking in every detail at a glance. The elf noted the scowl on the orc's face and smirked at his friend.

"Did I not tell you this was the right direction?" Vallyn asked.

Kraggs harrumphed and crossed his thickly muscled arms over his chest. The orc jerked his chin toward the three children standing in front of the elf. They were near collapse from exhaustion.

Vallyn caught the orc's meaning and ushered the children toward a small tree at the edge of the pool and bade them to sit. The boy hugged the two girls protectively. The blond girl fell asleep almost immediately, but the red haired girl still glanced around nervously, too afraid to sleep just yet.

The elf crouched and pulled the traveling pack from his back. From it, he produced a few pieces of wrapped bread and strips of meat. The children ate ravenously, even the little blond, who seemed too tired to stay away another moment, woke and shoved food into her mouth until her cheeks bulged. When Vallyn produced a water skin for them to share, the contents were gone within seconds between the three of them.

"Rest," Vallyn said when, at last, the three finished their meal. "Uncle Vallyn and Uncle Kraggs will watch over you."

He finished with a smile to put them at ease. The girls relaxed a little and fell asleep in a few short moments. The boy hugged them close and stared at the elf for a long time. Vallyn tilted his head questioningly and a long earring bounced against the left side of his jaw. That earring was made from a small, polished white tusk dangling at the end of a short, thin chain that was poked into his left ear lobe. The elf studied the boy, noting that though the young lad was tired, he refused to close his eyes and sleep.

"Sleep, little one," Vallyn said. "You will need your strength to walk back into the arms of your waiting mother."

Those bright blue eyes still sparkled with defiance. Vallyn's smile faded and he sighed.

"You're safe," the elf said. "It's all right to close your eyes."

"I can't," the boy croaked. His voice was raw from screaming and crying in terror when he had been taken from his home. "I have to protect Anya and Mariella."

Vallyn smiled gently, finally understanding the boy's stubborn refusal to sleep, even though he was fighting a losing battle as he blinked and struggled to open his eyes again. Vallyn mentally applauded the determination in the boy when he finally opened his eyes wide.

"What is your name?" Vallyn asked.

"Dalric Strut," the boy answered.

"Well, Dalric, I know you are a very good protector," Vallyn said. "You kept them safe when those evil men kidnapped you. I'm sure everyone will be proud of the way you put yourself between that cruel man and these two. It was very heroic."

Dalric's thin chest puffed out with pride, though he quickly deflated when the movement caused the little red-headed girl to stir and mumble.

"But even heroes need sleep," Vallyn continued. "You've been through enough. Sleep, and I promise that my brother and I will protect you and Anya and Mariella."

Dalric's face twisted in confusion as he looked around. "I don't see your brother," he said. "Is he hiding?"

Vallyn motioned to the orc standing silently nearby. "Kraggs is my brother," the elf replied.

"He's not an elf and you're not an orc," Dalric spat out the last word, though he paled when Kraggs glared.

Vallyn shot the orc a warning look and turned back to the boy. "I assure you, he is my brother," the elf said. "And we will keep you all safe until you are delivered to the arms of your parents."

Dalric studied the elf for a moment before nodding and settling back, finally allowing his eyes to drift closed. Vallyn stood and left the three alone to rest.

"What now?" Kraggs asked. "By now, the kidnappers are organized and on our trail."

"It won't be hard for them to find the trail seeing as you left one so obvious," Vallyn said, flatly.

Kraggs growled. "Do you know how hard it is to walk with an arrow wound in your arse?" the orc snapped, quietly trying not to wake the three sleeping nearby.

Vallyn raised a dark eyebrow in answer. Kraggs harrumphed and pulled the halberd from his back, leaning it carefully against a large rock at the edge of the river. As the orc eased into a sitting position on the rock, careful to avoid tearing open his wounded backside, he realized that he knew the answer to his own question. Vallyn had not suffered such an undignified wound, yet the elf hadn't escaped unscathed over the years. Indeed, Kraggs had bandaged every one of Vallyn's wounds, just as the elf took care of his injuries. Both had suffered many terrible injures since meeting each other as children. Vallyn, most of all, carried wounds too deep for any spells or potions to heal.

Vallyn watched his friend ease down onto the rock and smirked before heading off into the trees to find any sign of pursuit. The elf knew Kraggs was just embarrassed and taking it out on him. Vallyn let him hide the humiliation, always knowing that Kraggs, for all his bluster, would never lift a fist in true anger at him or really hurt him. The orc was truly his brother in every way but blood.

It had been that way for many, many years, since the day they had forsook their respective tribes and ventured into the wilds as young adults, barely a few years older than the sandy haired boy sleeping with his arms slung protectively around the two girls who had been kidnapped with him.

And so it would remain as long as they each drew breath.

* * *

I know the beginning is kind of slow, but I promise it will pick up in a chapter or two. I'm going to be posting a little slower on this story, so please be patient. I want this story to be better than "Dark Twilight"  
Also, I don't plan to post chapters unless I get reviews :P I like the feedback and opinions (not to mention if I get any posts demanding more I'm likely to write faster).

Thanks for reading!

-K


	3. Chapter 3: At the River

The sun reached its zenith when Vallyn returned, a grim look on his face. Kraggs stood immediately, wincing as his injury throbbed, knowing something was wrong. The orc took up his halberd and placed it in the special sheathe at his back.

"What is it?" the orc asked.

"They are too close," the elf answered. "Perhaps little more than a mile from our position and closing fast."

The elf moved quickly to the three sleeping forms. He shook them gently, but urgently, until their eyes opened and they blinked away the sleep. Vallyn knew the number of pursuers wouldn't be a problem for Kraggs and himself, but the children needed to be kept safe until they were back in the small town of Little Step, where they had been taken from.

"Stand and be ready to flee," Vallyn said.

The little blond girl, Anya, obviously the youngest of the three, burst into tears. As Dalric hugged her close and she buried her face in his shoulder, the boy looked at Vallyn. The elf saw fear in those bright blue orbs, but he also saw determination and hope-the hope he placed in Vallyn and Kraggs to get them safely home.

"Can you swim?" Vallyn asked. "The current is not strong, but the water will be deep for you."

"I can swim like a fish," Dalric said, but only a hint of pride entered his voice. He was too afraid for any more. "Mariella just learned, but Anya stays close to the river bank when we play."

Vallyn nodded, expecting as much. Though they lived near a river, the people of Little Step didn't utilize it for much more than a water source. They rarely had any trade, so the people were self sustained with gardens and fields and livestock. It was a wonder that highwaymen even bothered with taking the children of the three most prominent families in Little Step hostage.

The elf stood and turned to Kraggs. The orc nodded after hearing every word exchanged, and approached the four. Vallyn pulled the children to their feet and to the side as Kraggs neared the tree they had been resting under. It was a lone elm, younger than the others in the forest, but still twice as tall as Kraggs. The orc lifted his halberd from his back and held it in both hands. Squaring himself up with the tree, he swung mightily at it near the base. The halberd encountered little resistance, its keen edge spelled to cut through almost anything. The tree toppled over with a crash and Kraggs set to work trimming the branches until none remained.

Meanwhile, Vallyn turned once again to Dalric.

"Do you know the bank across the river?" the elf asked.

"My dad takes me fishing just over there," Dalric said, pointing downstream and across the river to a small rocky shore. It looked as if it had been used often as a fishing spot, because rocks were strategically placed near the water to sit. Vallyn's keen eyes even spotted a few fish bones where they must have cleaned the fish on the spot, perhaps for a quick meal.

"Good, then you know how to get back to your home from here," Vallyn said. "When you get across the river, take Anya and Mariella and run. Do not look back. Do not stop. Kraggs and I will be along shortly."

Dalric gulped and nodded. He was young, but he was intelligent enough to realize that Vallyn and Kraggs were going to fight. A small part of the boy wanted to stay and help, but that part was quickly overruled by his fear. Besides, he told himself, he had a job to do. He had to protect Anya and Mariella.

Vallyn liked the boy more and more. The elf knew the boy was afraid, but he hid it well for the sakes of the two little girls. It also saddened the elf to know that children so young had to face such danger. Vallyn stood, clearing those thoughts from his head to focus on the task at hand, and turned back to the tree Kraggs had felled. The branches were cut down until the tree resembled a large knobby stick. Vallyn nodded his head toward the gently flowing waters of the river. The orc sheathed his halberd and lifted one end of the tree, dragging it across the ground.

"Grab on to the log and do not let go until you reach the other side," Vallyn commanded the children. He turned his hazel gaze to Dalric. "Understand?"

The boy nodded, his mouth set in a determined line, though his eyes still shone with fear. Vallyn and Kraggs held on to the log in the water until the three children were settled-Anya straddling the log and hanging on tightly while Mariella and Dalric hung off of either side to guide it across. Vallyn and Kraggs let go and the log drifted easily along the current. Dalric, with his left arm slung over the log just behind Anya, kicked his feet and bade Mariella to do the same. Together, the two managed to safely guide themselves across the expanse of the river and to the rocky shore where Dalric and his father fished. Dalric glanced back at the two rescuers before taking the hands of the little girls, tugging them into a run along the familiar path toward home.

Vallyn and Kraggs didn't see that final look, their attention was on the forest around them-though Vallyn certainly made sure the children made it to the other side. Kraggs clenched his hands around the halberd's long handle. Vallyn took a few steps away, wanting to give the orc plenty of room for when he started to swing that deadly blade, and tugged the bow slung over his shoulder over his head. The elf felt the quiver at his back, counting the arrows with his hand. Only half of the arrows he had set out with the previous day remained; the rest were buried in the bodies of a score of highwaymen.

Yet, more than twice that had been left alive. Vallyn frowned at the troubling thought that such a large band of highwaymen were around. Still, the most troubling thing was the insignia painted on the banners around their camp. The dagger stuck through an eye symbol on the red background was not unknown to the elf. No, Vallyn thought, he had seen it once before, near Heliogabalus in the Bloodstone Lands. They had stopped briefly to gather supplies before taking the road south. The Vengeful Watchers, or so they called themselves, had set an ambush that Kraggs and Vallyn easily defeated. Only a dozen men had faced the two seasoned warriors, and a dozen men had been left dead on the side of the road.

Nearly a year had passed, the elf noted. How could the band of highwaymen they had wiped out on a whim be not only alive, but growing? Were they part of a bigger guild? Or was this just a coincidence?

Vallyn didn't believe in coincidences. They had to be part of a bigger guild or some religious followers under the command of some fanatic getting his kicks from stealing children. The elf wondered if they could possibly capture one, but threw that thought out. This band of Vengeful Watchers-if that was what they were-would be lucky if any of them walked away. Vallyn knew Kraggs wanted blood for being wounded. The orc's pride demanded it, and Vallyn had no reason to stop his friend from seeking it.

So as the first man revealed himself from behind a tree, Vallyn took aim and fired his bow, planting an arrow in the man's neck before he could even lift his sword. The answer to his attack came in the form of a dozen arrows and crossbow bolts flying from the trees. Vallyn ducked and fired six more arrows into the forest. He was rewarded by half a dozen cries of pain and alarm-at least two of those cries of pain turned to gurgles of death.

Kraggs ignored the arrows and bolts that slammed into his plate armor. They bounced harmlessly off his chest plate and fell to the ground. The orc paid more attention to the forms darting in and out of his sight between the trees. His great halberd was too big for fighting in close quarters with trees. He looked to his left where Vallyn was taking out the archers one arrow at a time. When the arrows ran out, the elf dropped the bow and drew his short swords. The blade in his right hand burst into flames while the one in his left hand glowed with an eerie, pale blue light.

"At least two score more approaching," Vallyn said, quietly. He grinned at the orc and slid into a defensive position. "I think we can handle it."

"You're fighting?" Kraggs shot back with equal mirth. "And here I thought this would be difficult."

The highwaymen charged from the trees, weapons high. Trusting that the elf had his back, Kraggs gave a mighty roar and charged forward to meet the line of men. He stopped short and twisted his body, letting his halberd swing wide as he twisted back around. The few on the edge of the strike managed to avoid the deadly axe head, but the unlucky men directly in front of the orc were all but cut in half. They fell dead, causing their companions to trip and fall. Kraggs turned the blade back around and took a step forward as he swung back the other way. The wide, feral smile on his face showed his enjoyment.

Vallyn stayed well away from those devastating strikes from the halberd. Once that horizontal pendulum started, it was hard to stop it. Instead, the elf leapt toward the edges of the fight, quickly dispatching anyone who thought to flee or circle around. The flaming sword in his right hand, Run'sta by name, lead the way as he engaged an opponent. Though the man blocked the blow, his wooden club was engulfed in consuming flames. The man dropped the club and scrambled back. Vallyn spin in pursuit and let the cold bite of Khel'sta, the frostbrand in his left hand, quench the heat of the burning club as the elf kicked it toward its owner. The club smacked into the man's chest, knocking him back on his heels. He scrambled out of his tunic, which burned with the flames from the club, and tried to tug his shirt off. When the man finally threw the burning garment on the ground, something slammed into his back. The breath knocked from him and his lungs refusing to draw any more air, the man looked down to see the red blade protruding from his chest. He had little time to ponder the blade's curious red shine before it burst into flame and he was consumed. His dying scream was loud, but short lived.

Vallyn pulled his sword from the man's back and spun around, Khel'sta slapping against the blade of an axe aimed for his back. He brought Run'sta around and slashed at the highwayman's head. The man ducked the blow, just as Vallyn had wanted him to. The elf kicked the man in the face and launched himself into the air, avoiding another attack from behind. As he twisted his body into a flip, he thrust his blades down and into the shoulders of his attacker. The man screamed and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as he died.

He landed nimbly and dashed around to the back of the line where the highwaymen retreated. As he stabbed and slashed at those around the edges of the force, Kraggs advanced, roaring and swinging his deadly horizontal pendulum. As the retreat headed into the trees, Kraggs let his halberd swing one last time before bringing it up into a downward chop onto one unlucky man's head. The orc charged after them, running them into the forest where Vallyn, who had dashed through the trees to one of the archers he had taken down, took them with arrows. The orc continued his seemingly reckless charge, cutting down three more before he stopped and turned around to go back to the river.

Kraggs wiped his blade clean on one man's shirt and sheathed it. The ground was covered in bodies-or parts of bodies for those who were in front of Kraggs. The orc began to search them for anything valuable or worth keeping. He was still searching, having come up with little, when Vallyn emerged from the forest with a full quiver of arrows. He picked up his dropped bow and slung it around his shoulder.

"Any left alive?" the elf asked.

Kraggs snorted at the absurdity of anyone surviving. Vallyn shrugged and started looting as well. When they were sure they had gathered anything worth keeping, the two sat at the edge of the river and rested a moment.

"We should get extra for wiping them out," Kraggs said, offhandedly.

Vallyn laughed and clapped his friend on the back, wondering if they had indeed wiped the Vengeful Watchers out.


	4. Chapter 4: Fight Fear

Dalric held Mariella's hand tightly as he tugged her along the uneven terrain. Anya sobbed quietly in his ear as she clung to his back. Her right ankle was hastily wrapped with a sleeve torn from Dalric's shirt. The boy had only risked stopping long enough to tend to the little girl's injury and get her onto his back. He knew they were close to home. Every tree was familiar to him, yet it still seemed as if they were running endlessly through the forest. His legs burned and his throat was dry from breathing so hard but he refused to stop.

Mariella slowed, unable to keep up any longer. Dalric tried to pull her along but she stumbled and sobbed as her knees tore open against the ground. He pulled her to her feet again and slid his arm around her waist to pull her too. He got about a dozen steps before his own legs turned weak and he toppled over. His heart thundered in his chest. He heard Mariella gasping beside him and Anya sobbing on his back.

"Just a little further," he gasped out. His voice was raw and barely above a whisper. He coughed and seemed unable to stop. He managed to push himself onto his hands and knees to crawl away from the girls and vomit on the side of the path.

"Can't we stop for a moment to rest?" Mariella asked. "I can't run anymore. My legs ache."

"He told us to run," Dalric said. He swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "We have to keep going."

"No need for that, boy."

Dalric whipped his head around and gasped. Fear gripped his heart when he saw a man standing only a few feet away from the girls. His pale face was sweaty, framed by greasy black hair, and when he opened his mouth in a wide grin his teeth were crooked and yellow. He took a step toward Mariella. When the girl tried to scoot away from him, he lunged forward and grabbed her by her hair, wrapping the dirty red locks around his fist. Mariella screamed in pain and terror as the man brandished a stiletto, waving it near her face. Anya scrambled away, crawling toward Dalric without a sound, her voice lost in her fear.

"Leave her alone!" Dalric shouted before bursting into a fit of coughs. He hugged Anya close to his side.

"You've got some spirit, I'll give you that," the man growled. "But you ain't got no where left to run. Best come quietly back with Serg and meet the boss before I have to kill you."

"Let her go," Dalric pleaded, hopeless tears filling his blue eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

Serg yanked on Mariella's hair, smiling gleefully at her scream. Tears streamed down her face. Dalric felt helpless, a feeling he hated. So many times he had been unable to protect the two girls since their kidnapping, and so many times he had let his fear get the better of him. Hot tears of rage burned in his eyes, shame and anger pushing his fear aside. He would not be helpless again. He had promised to protect Anya and Mariella.

Dalric felt his blood boil at the sight of sweet, innocent Mariella in peril. He pushed Anya behind him and balled up his fists.

"You gonna fight me, boy?" Serg asked. "I'm so scared." The man's voice rose high in mock fear.

Dalric yelled, his voice cracking under the strain. He charged toward Serg, who laughed at his attempt. The laughter only made Dalric angrier. The boy punched Serg, or tried to. The man stepped to the side and Dalric's momentum carried him forward, stumbling. He landed on the ground, gashing open his arm on a sharp rock jutting from the ground.

Serg only laughed harder.

Dalric turned, cradling his injured arm to his chest. He glared at Serg as the man laughed. Then Serg's voice cut short. Dalric's eyes widened as the fletching of an arrow suddenly sprouted from the man's forehead. Serg dropped the stiletto and loosened his grip on Mariella's hair. He toppled back, lifeless on the ground.

"Looks like we caught up just in time," came the pleasantly familiar voice behind Dalric.

Vallyn appeared from the trees, bow in hand. Kraggs ran up the path a moment later to join them. Relief flooded Dalric and he nearly burst into tears. He looked at Anya and Mariella and held them back, though. He had to be brave for them, for now.

Vallyn sighed dramatically and wiped some imaginary sweat from his brow. "I think it's time to rest," the elf said, winking at Dalric he added, "All that running has me tired."

Dalric smiled in appreciation. The children were exhausted and rested while Vallyn bandaged the gash in Dalric's arm and checked the binding on Anya's leg.

"You did well," Vallyn murmured to Dalric as he tied linen around the boy's arm.

Dalric beamed at the compliment, which turned into a wince as Vallyn tightened the knot to keep the linen on. The elf patted his shoulder and stood, leaving the boy to rest.

Kraggs had moved the body of Serg off the path, but Vallyn still wanted to see if he could salvage his arrow. After finding hardly anything of value on Serg, Vallyn studied the arrow protruding from the man's forehead. Shaking his head with disappointment at the realization that the arrow was lost, Vallyn turned away, but something caught his eye as he turned. He glanced back, his eyes widening in horror.

_Found you._

Vallyn cried out and staggered back, tripping in his haste and falling hard on his tailbone. He winced and rolled to his feet, looking back at the body with weapons drawn. Kraggs approached, frowning at the elf.

"What is it?" the orc asked.

Vallyn studied the corpse for a moment then, when he was sure he had imagined it, sheathed his swords and shook his head. He turned and waved off the question. He wasn't even sure himself. The elf jumped into a nearby tree and settled himself on a low branch with his back against the trunk. He ignored the curious glances from his friend and the children as he closed his eyes, trying to sort out what he had seen.

For the face he had glimpsed in that moment, the voice he had heard, was more than imagination, he knew. He had seen, just for an instant, the corpse had moved and spoken to him. But it hadn't been Serg's face or his voice. No, it had to be the leader of the Vengeful Watchers.

_Found you._

Vallyn felt a spark of recognition, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He shivered as a chill ran up his spine. Someone had been looking for him.

_Found you._

Now, that someone had found him.


	5. Chapter 5: A Better Deal

The people of Little Step cheered when the five emerged from the forest. The gates burst open and the people flowed out to meet them. The three children were ushered into the arms of their parents and hugged relentlessly.

Kraggs and Vallyn stood aside while the people celebrated. After a few long minutes passed, a sandy haired man approached the pair. Jonas Strut, Dalric's father and spokesperson for the little village, smiled in appreciation at having his son returned. He bowed low in greeting.

"Thank you for returning our children," said Strut. "I don't know how we can ever repay you."

Vallyn smiled kindly and waved the thanks away. "It's what we were paid for," he said. "You can thank us by handing over our fee and letting us go on our way."

Strut straightened. Closer to forty than thirty, he looked like an older version of Dalric, with the same brilliant blue eyes. His face, though tan from working in the sun on day, turned slightly pale at the mention of the fee.

"We are but a small, poor village. We do not have enough gold to pay you," said the man. "You two noble...men," he said after a glance at Kraggs, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest, "are welcome to stay as long as you like, though."

Vallyn raised an eyebrow and exchanged looks with the orc to his left. He turned his hazel gaze back to Strut and smiled kindly. The man relaxed slightly.

"I'm sure we can come up with a deal," the elf said, cheerfully. He threw hi arm around Strut's shoulders and guided him away from Kraggs, toward the forest where the pair had emerged with the exhausted children only minutes before.

"We will have a grand feast in your honor," Strut quickly put in. "It is the least we can do."

"Indeed, a feast sounds like a good idea," Vallyn remarked, still walking with his arm around Strut's shoulders, keeping the man pressed tightly to his side. He finally stopped a few feet away from the tree line, but he kept Strut at his side.

"So a feast we will have," Strut managed. "You and your friend..." again, a nervous glance at the orc standing alone, "are very kind to accept the feast as payment."

"I only said a feast is a good idea," Vallyn corrected. He let the man take a moment for his words to sink in.

"But..."

"My friend and I were hired by the people of Little Step to find the three missing children for an agreed upon amount of gold," the elf interrupted, still smiling. His tone was calm and cheerful, but his eyes were narrow and dark. "Since you are attempting - no doubt prompted by the people - to renegotiate our bargain, I propose a different deal, a better one if you will.

"Listen carefully to our new deal, my good man," Vallyn continued. He let his grip on Strut's shoulder tighten and watched the man wince at his strength. "Little Step will provide us with our fee, and half again for annihilating the threat of those mercenaries - yes, they are all quite dead - as well as enough provisions and supplies to last us for a tenday. If you do not, then my friend and I will slaughter everyone in this village, take what we want, and burn it to the ground. You mistake us for noble rangers or heroic paladins crossing the world to help those in need. We are mercenaries, Jonas Strut, and you would do well to remember that. We kill whomever we are paid to kill. We steal whatever we are paid to steal. We help those who pay us for our services. If you do not pay our gold to us, then we will take it off your corpses. Understood?"

"But you..."

"I am a mercenary," Vallyn said, smiling as he did. "I am not noble. Do not let my elven heritage fool you into believing otherwise."

Strut paled considerably and swallowed. He nodded in agreement.

* * *

They left Little Step with full bellies and heavy purses. No one cheered for them when they left. Only glares and threats followed them from the people of the town. They were unbothered as they walked down the narrow road toward the larger trading road to the north.

Four days after their departure from Little Step, Kraggs noticed his friend staring toward the general direction of Little Step. The orc had noted the agitation in Vallyn's movements and in the few conversations they held while traveling during the day. Kraggs merely shrugged it off as frustration in the way the people of Little Step had tried to treat them. The orc understood that most of the people across Toril hated orcs and would sooner kill them than invite them into their homes.

But after four days, it should have gone back to normal. Vallyn usually shook off his irritation within hours.

But not this time.

Something else was bothering the elf.

"What has you on edge?" the orc asked as they stopped for lunch.

Vallyn turned to his companion and stared, concealing his surprise well. "What do you mean?"

Kraggs pointed back toward the direction they had come. "Since leaving that town you've been on edge and I want to know why."

The elf shook his head in denial. "Nothing is bothering me," he replied. "I don't know why you would think so. Finish eating and hurry up about it. We've got a lot of road to travel and new places to discover."

Kraggs opened his mouth to respond, but Vallyn held up his hand. The orc frowned, but let the subject drop, for the moment.

But he knew something was wrong. Twenty years of traveling together across the land from the Sword Coast to the Great Glacier made them very aware of every nuance and change in the other. He knew Vallyn was hiding something, but didn't press the issue. The elf would tell him, he knew, it was just a matter of time.


	6. Chapter 6: Westward

The pair walked for more than a tenday, always heading westward along the caravan trail leading through the mountains just north of the body of water known as the Deepwash. They avoided the city of Lachom, skirting around the edges and staying out of sight of any people. They passed Murpeth with only a brief pit stop in which Vallyn gathered more supplies while Kraggs camped out in a small cave just off the trail. The going was difficult at times, and their paths to avoid any towns turned too treacherous for the orc to attempt, after some backtracking - and trail investigating by Vallyn - they crossed the mountains and neared Lheshayl. Again, Vallyn entered the city and gathered supplies.

It was the way of things for the pair of friends. If ever someone needed their assistance, Vallyn was first to find out because of his dealings with the cities. Kraggs, on the other hand, stayed out of the discussion until it was time for action. He preferred it to the screams of death and the running for his life he was often greeted with when approaching a city gate. They had learned the lesson of dealing with humans long ago.

It was a lesson neither would forget.

Three more days of leisurely walking brought them to the bridge over the river that separated Impresk Lake from the Shalane Lake. Here, Vallyn veered to the north, away from the bridge. He had heard a tale in Lheshayl that intrigued him. The story of the haunted cathedral in the mountains bordering the lake. He grinned as he thought of the possibilities of finding treasure in a place no one dared venture.

When darkness fell and they set up camp for the night on the southern edge of the Impresk Lake, Kraggs looked at his friend for answers. The elf's hazel eye sparkled with excitement.

"What do you know?" the orc asked, suspicion plain on his face.

"Adventure, my friend," Vallyn said. "I heard a story about these mountains that I can not ignore and pass by without taking a glance."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you recall the tales of the fall of the Weave?" Vallyn asked. "A time they call the Spellplague."

Kraggs looked at him with confusion. "The blue fire crossing the sky?" he asked. "Isn't that why we..."

Vallyn sighed and nodded his head, running his fingers through his shoulder length locks. The elf stood and struck a pose with his left foot in front of his right one and his hands spread out to his sides. Kraggs snorted with laughter at the imitation of a bard they had met years ago. The dramatic man had crossed their path near Myth Drannor. Ready and willing to tell a story to anyone who would listen - and often times telling them again and again - the bard had always struck the same pose Vallyn imitated.

It was in sheer mockery for the bard who, after agreeing to join the two friends on an adventure to a dragon's lair, tried to sing a song of comfort and sleep to calm the dragon when it discovered the intruders and, instead, made the creature angrier. Though Vallyn had been the one who had initially awakened the dragon, the bard had been the only one killed in the adventure.

Which meant that the payment for stealing one of the great wyrm's scales was split by two instead of three. Vallyn also believed that the acquisition of Run'sta was reward enough for the trip.

"Twenty years ago," Vallyn began, dropping his voice low. "The fabric of magic collapsed, causing chaos and fear throughout the lands. Spells, both arcane and divine, failed or misfired - some with catastrophic results. In that time, a place known as Spirit Soaring was under siege by a tremendous and deadly enemy.

"A dracolich with the power to raise the dead and bring forth creatures from the Plane of Shadow laid his eyes on that grand place. It destroyed the town of Caradoon, slaughtering the people with its army of undead."

Vallyn paused and looked at his friend. Kraggs was sitting with his chin propped up on his fist, taking in the story. When he noticed the gaze, Kraggs opened his mouth in a wide yawn, pointedly ignoring the dramatic flare the elf was trying to add, and motioned for Vallyn to continue. Vallyn chuckled and sat down, dismissing his bardic – or lack thereof – abilities.

"The priest living in the cathedral joined forces with a group of heroes and destroyed the dracolich," Vallyn said. "But by doing so, the priest sacrificed his life to bind the dracolich in the Plane of Shadows. It is said he still roams the land to this day."

"And what does that have to do with us?" Kraggs asked.

"The cathedral was a great library full of tomes and possibly many magical artifacts of great power," Vallyn said. "No one goes for fear of the dracolich and the many monsters of shadow that roam the land around the place. We might find something interesting in such a place."

Kraggs smiled. "Like gold," he said.

"Or the equivalent," the elf countered. "Either way, it is along the path that lies before us."

"And where will that path end?" Kraggs asked. He glanced curiously at his friend.

Vallyn merely shrugged and glanced toward the north, where the mountains rose high and hid the mysterious, haunted cathedral known as Spirit Soaring.


End file.
